Sleepless
by Dagonet
Summary: My answer to a challenge from Caillean last Halloween, this involves one of her characters, Stephen, and a secret night-time visitor... Gets a bit on the raunchy side...


Title: Sleepless  
Rating: Adult. Mild sex scenes.  
Summary: Stephan has been getting very little sleep recently... Basically this   
one is for all you out there who drool over this love beast *evil grin*  
Disclaimer: Stephan belongs to Lady Caillean, and Jareth and all Labyrinth   
characters belong to Jim Henson. Everyone is else mine, lalala...  
Word length: 2, 296  
~~~  
Stephan whimpered in his sleep, his silken sheets twisting away from his   
muscular chest. Throwing his head from side to side, he let out a low moan and   
clenched the black sheets in his fists. With a cry he sat upright, gasping for   
breath.  
  
~Woah~  
  
The dreams had been plaguing Stephan for several days now. Always the same,   
always exhausting. Every morning he felt like he'd been forced through a wringer   
the night before. Nothing he did could rid him of the dreams, but he wasn't   
entirely sure he wanted to, despite the toll it was having on him. Before he   
could become lost in such thoughts, a knock at the door  
interrupted him. Irritated, he called out harshly,  
  
"Yes?"  
  
The oak door swung open and his brother Jareth swaggered in. Looking stunning as   
usual in his riding outfit of black leather pants and silken grey shirt, he   
tapped a riding crop against his thigh as he approached the four post bed.  
  
"Now, now, dear brother, no need to be stroppy with me," he half-smiled. "Or did   
you forget that today is the annual Underground Hunt?"  
  
Stephan groaned, hiding his dark head beneath his sweat-soaked sheets. Jareth   
noted the state of the bed and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What on earth have you been doing, Stephan? Are you ill?"  
  
Yawning, the Fey ruler swung his legs over the side and rubbed his tired eyes.   
He balled his fists beside him, before forcing himself to relax each muscle.   
Glancing at Jareth he moved to the dresser.  
  
"I'm fine. I just... I'm fine, ok? Forget it," he mumbled.  
  
Jareth stared a moment, then grabbed a bed post and twisted himself around it to   
lie elegantly across the sheets. Stephan turned after dressing in similar attire   
to his brother, only in red and black, and spying Jareth making faces at him   
from the bed, threw his pyjamas at him, laughing. Chasing him out of the room,   
neither noticed the sinuous form writhe slightly under the bed sheets before   
sinking flat into the mattress, a small sigh emanating from the pillows.  
  
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~  
  
Stephan stared at the reigns of his grey mare as she trotted slowly behind the   
loudly excited, motley group of Underground nobles that sped up before him.   
Until the riding crop whacked him lightly across his back he didn't notice his   
brother slowing down to talk to him. Looking up in surprise, his cheeks flushed   
a light red, and he quickly tipped his broad-brimmed hat forward, pretending to   
protect his pale skin from the non-existent sun.   
  
"Stephan, what is wrong with you today? You won't participate in the Hunt, you   
won't talk to any of our guests, and might I remind you that several of these   
nobles are on tenterhooks at being so close to their rivals. As this is your   
land, it is your duty to ensure peace between them," Jareth stated, reigning in   
his black stallion.  
  
Sighing, Stephan replied,  
  
"I know, I know. It's just... alright, promise me you won't laugh?" At Jareth's   
nod, he took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. Opening them, he said,   
"I've been having these strange dreams lately. Every night, for the last few   
weeks, this... woman... this stunning creature has been in my dreams. I don't   
know who she is, or how I dreamt her up, but every morning I wake up tired..."   
he trailed off.  
  
"Tired? Why tired?" Jareth inquired curiously.  
  
Stephan looked slightly uncomfortable, and stared straight ahead, mumbling his   
answer.  
  
"I'm sorry, Stephan, I didn't quite catch that," Jareth leaned closer.  
  
Turning his head, Stephan shouted,  
  
"She makes passionate love to me every night, ok?!"  
  
A few nearby heads turned curiously, and Jareth stifled a giggle. Stephan   
frowned, mumbling something about it not being funny. The fair-headed rider held   
his hand over his mouth, trying to stop himself from laughing out loud.  
  
"Oh dear brother, but it *is* funny!" And with that he collapsed into a fit of   
giggles.   
  
Glaring at him, Stephan kicked his mount hard, startling the old horse into   
galloping forward. Still laughing, Jareth followed at a more sedate pace,   
nodding his head to the noble women he passed.  
  
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~  
  
That night, Stephan lay in bed fidgeting. He knew he had to sleep, as tomorrow   
was the ball held to celebrate the end of the Hunt. Actually, they had not   
caught anything; the point of the Hunt was more a meet-and-greet event for the   
local nobility, and a chance for them to check out prospective partners. He knew   
he was viciously in demand this season, but had remained aloof and distant   
throughout the day-long event. Unfortunately, the ball could not go ahead   
without his attendance, so once again he would be subject to coquettish looks   
and flirtatious glances from the pretty daughters of his neighbours. He sighed,   
turning onto his stomach, resting his chin on his arms. Glancing at his clock,   
he noted the early hour of the morning, and resigned himself to sleep, knowing   
that no matter how many hours he slept, he would still be exhausted by morning.  
  
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~  
  
Opening his eyes to find the moon peeping through his window, he groaned,   
thinking he'd never get enough rest at this rate. It was then that he noticed   
the lit candelabras, and the floaty, gauzy curtains in place of his usual heavy   
red drapes. Glancing down, he noted his lack of bedclothes, and quickly covered   
himself with the bed sheets. A quiet laugh from a darkened corner of the room   
drew his attention, and he squinted, trying to see who would dare enter his   
chamber unannounced. As the woman stepped from the shadows, he realised he was   
not awake at all, and that another night would go without rest for him.  
  
The woman stepped towards the bed, her long, peacock blue gown trailing behind   
her, seeming to flow from the shadows themselves. The candlelight glinted red in   
her auburn hair, and made her eyes flash like diamonds. As she drew close to   
him, Stephan slowly backed up against the bed head, clutching the silk sheets   
to his chest. Slowly, the woman raised a pale hand and drew the sheets down,   
staring hungrily at the muscular chest she had exposed. Gulping, Stephan knew he   
had no choice but to follow through with her intentions, as he knew her wrath   
from previous experience, something he was not inclined to try again.  
  
She leaned down to his chest, light grazing her lips across his muscles. Closing   
his eyes, Stephan felt the now familiar blaze ignite under his skin, and almost   
unconsciously drew her up to kiss her on the lips. She twined her hands through   
his dark hair, pulling him closer passionately and thrusting her tongue into his   
mouth. He moaned, pulling her fully across his body and onto the bed. Her   
clothes had disappeared somehow, and their legs entwined as they rolled over,   
letting him hold her captive beneath him.  
  
Though his eyes were closed he could feel her smile beneath his mouth, and   
hungrily began kissing the soft skin leading down to her belly. She whimpered   
more the further down her went, until she cried out, pulling him back up and   
desperately wrapping her legs around his waist, urging him to end the torture.  
  
Finally opening his eyes he gazed down at her a moment, their eyes locked in an   
eternal moment. He felt like he was drowning, and almost forgot where he was.   
When he felt her around him, his eyes widened as his passion escalated. They   
both cried out simultaneously, as he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily.   
  
Opening his eyes, the bright light of the sun blinded him a moment, and he   
struggled to sit upright and comprehend what had happened.   
  
Humming, the young servant girl went about her business cleaning the room,   
throwing open the remaining curtains and making quite a bit of noise. Groaning,   
Stephan collapsed back onto the bed, realising that once again he had fallen   
victim to his nighttime visitor. Hearing his voice, the girl approached the bed   
with a cheery smile, singing him good morning. Growling, he threw his pillow at   
her and the girl ran from the room gasping. Through the open door swaggered   
Jareth, once again looking fantastic first thing in the morning.   
  
"Harassing the help again, Stephan?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
Looking at Jareth bleary-eyed, Stephan groaned and rolled over, mumbling at him   
to go away. Jareth laughed, using his magic to sweep away the sheets and dress   
his sibling. Frowning at Jareth, Stephan changed the clothes his brother had   
chosen for something more subtle, and with a lot less glitter.   
  
"You would go conservative to the biggest ball of the year, wouldn't you?"   
Jareth pouted.   
  
"No, I just don't want to be mistaken for the kiddies entertainment," Stephan   
joked, staring at himself in the mirror.  
  
Jareth stood beside him, noting the slight shadows beneath the dark-haired man's   
eyes, and the slight pallor to his already pale skin.  
  
"I could use a spell to help with those dreams, you know," he said pointedly.  
  
Stephan shook his head.  
  
"No, no, I think I can handle them. They seem to be, er, going," he lied.   
  
Jareth saw right through the pretence, instead letting out a loud harrumph, and   
walking out of the room, reminding Stephan to be at the ball by nine o'clock and   
no later.  
  
"I will, Jareth, have no fear. I will be there," he called out. He only hoped   
he'd be up to the whirlwind of false smiles and brittle glances that were   
inevitably a part of these events. Sighing deeply, he left the room to follow   
his brother, not looking forward to the glamorous ball that evening.  
  
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~  
  
  
Glittering dressed reflected the light from the crystal chandeliers above their   
heads, as the guests 'oohhed' and 'aahhed' over the decoration in the large   
ballroom. Bored, Stephan automatically greeted the never-ending stream of   
apparently important people. Finally he excused himself and left to circle the   
room. Pushing past the throng of gaily dressed nobles, he barely noticed out of   
the corner of his eye the peacock-blue dress disappearing into the crowd.   
Stopping dead in his tracks, he quickly turned around, ignoring the looks he was   
getting from some of the nearby ladies. Thrusting forward through the crowd, he   
craned his neck trying to find the elusive ghost. A hand tapped him on the   
shoulder and he jumped, spinning around to grab the figure.  
  
"I'm so glad you missed me, Stephan, now would you mind unhanding my lapels?"   
Jareth asked politely.  
  
Blinking slowly, Stephan grimaced before smoothing the crumpled lapels down. He   
coughed slightly, and clasped his hands behind his back. Jareth raised his   
eyebrows in a silent question, waiting for his brother to answer him.  
  
"I think she's here, Jareth," he finally whispered.  
  
The Goblin King smirked when he realised who the *she* was, but only said,  
  
"Surely you know she was only a dream, Stephan?" He placed his hands on his   
hips, staring down at his brother.  
  
Exasperated, Stephan looked around the crowd, searching for that elusive flash   
of blue. Distracted by a pair of dark brown eyes, he didn't hear his brother   
speak.  
  
"Stephan, are you even listening to me, you little scab?" He said, smiling   
wryly.  
  
Holding his hands up, Stephan mumbled an excuse and moved towards the entrancing   
eyes he'd spotted just a moment ago. When he reached the spot by the wall, he   
turned around bewildered. Again, a hand on his shoulder interrupted him, and he   
turned around, a snarl on his face. It instantly disappeared when he saw who had   
caught his attention.  
  
Staring up at him inquisitively was the woman from his dreams. Looking like an   
angel in her peacock-blue dress, her hair tied back in ringlets with tiny red   
stones mixed throughout, she rendered him speechless.  
  
"May I ask why you are following me around, sir?" She asked, her slightly husky   
voice sending shivers down Stephan's spine.  
  
He stumbled over his tongue, before finally blurting out,  
  
"Why are you haunting me?"  
  
Taken aback, she fluttered a hand over her chest before a knowing look spread   
across her face. Blushing slightly, she giggled as she explained.  
  
"You've been having dreams about someone who looks like me, yes?" At his nod,   
she continued, trying to hold back a laugh. "There is a tradition in my family,   
whenever a female in my line casts her eye on someone, he always seems to have   
rather, er, intense dreams about her. You see, my great-great-great-great-great   
grandmother was something of a spell-caster, particularly of the love kind, and   
so that she would continue living, as such, she cast a spell on her death-bed   
that ensured whenever one of her descendants fell in love she would visit that   
young man in his dreams. We've never found out exactly what those dreams entail,   
but it never fails to bring that person into our lives," she smiled.  
  
Leaning back slightly, Stephan looked shocked, but relieved. At least now he   
knew he wasn't going insane. As her words sank in, he stared into her eyes for a   
moment, before leaning down and brushing his lips against hers. She hesitated   
for a second, then melted into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck.   
Twisting her palm, she gave a thumbs-up sign behind her back, and Jareth smiled   
as he wandered back into the crowd, knowing that the spell the woman's   
ancestress had cast had worked its magic. But who knows when the ghost will be   
called upon again?  
  
  
~fin~  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
